German inflation slowed more than expected in December, dipping to 2.0% year on year, preliminary data from the federal statistics office showed on Tuesday.

Analysts polled by Reuters had forecast EU-harmonised inflation falling to 2.2% from last month's 2.6%.

Germany's core inflation rate, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, fell to 2.4% from 2.7% in the previous month.

The German data comes ahead of the euro zone inflation release on Wednesday.

Inflation in the bloc has hovered around the European Central Bank's 2% target, boosted by price hikes in the services sector, and is expected to stay there for the foreseeable future.

Most analysts expect the ECB to keep its interest rate unchanged in the coming months.

-Miranda Murray and Friederike Heine/Reuters